1) “The Blacklist” return, 8 and 9 p.m., NBC. After a three-month rest, this clever show is back with two episodes that are smart and twisty … but, in some ways, total opposites. Yes, both involve a valuable gold box; both link Red with an imposing blonde – Gillian Alexy in the first hour, Joely Richardson (shown here) in the the second. But the first hour is a smart art-theft tale; the second throws logic aside, for a fun throwback tale: People are in a mansion on a dark and stormy night, with no escape and much death.
2) “MacGyver” and more, 8 p.m., CBS. When the basketball tournament vanished, CBS plugged in the Friday crime shows it has planned to rest. Two will have new episodes next week, but tonight is all-rerun. First,Mac reluctantly works with Murdoc, whose former mentor (played by Michael Des Barres, who was Murdoc in the original “MacGyver”) is back. At 9 p.m., “Hawaii Five-0” adds Quinn Liu to the team; at 10, “Blue Bloods” sees Frank and Jamie disagree about the public’s treatment of cops.
3) “Great Performances at the Met,” 9 p.m. PBS. Here’s another reason PBS is so important. Many people can’t afford opera tickets … most aren’t within reach of an opera company … and none can see live performances during the virus shutdown. But PBS delivers (among other things) world-class concerts, theater and opera. Tonight, Christine Goerke stars in Puccini’s “Turandot” opera.
4) “Self Made” debut, any time, Netflix. Sarah Breedlove was born in Louisiana in 1867, the daughter and sister of ex-slaves. She was orphaned at 7, married at 14, widowed at 20. As Madam C.J. Walker (from her third husband’s name), she had an empire of hair-care products for African-Americans. When she died, at 51, she was a philanthropist, an activist and close to being a millionaire. It’s a big, four-part story starring Octavia Spencer, adapted from a biography by Walker’s great-great-granddaughter.
5) And more: Netflix also has “A Message For the King,” an adventure series about a young man training to be a knight; Amazon Prime has “Blow the Man Down,” with young sisters hiding a killing. And for now, cable is our movie theater: Starz has “Spider-Man: Far From Home” (2019) at 8 p.m. E has Jennifer Lopex films – “Selena” (1997) at 4 and 9:30 p.m., “The Wedding Planner” (2001) at 7. BBC America has “Caddyshack” (1980) at 6 p.m. and midnight, “Princess Bride” (1987) at 8 and 10.